 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
BEFORE DAWN.
God's honey-gatherers, like the bee,
Work better in the shade;
And sorrow, that no others see,
Is into sweetness made.
But they have only eyes for need,
When gone is earthly light,
Who on their acts of mercy speed
By faith, and not by sight.
And only, when the worldly glare
No longer vision bars,
From depths of more than midnight care,
They trace the heavenly stars.
Work better in the shade;
And sorrow, that no others see,
Is into sweetness made.
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When gone is earthly light,
Who on their acts of mercy speed
By faith, and not by sight.
And only, when the worldly glare
No longer vision bars,
From depths of more than midnight care,
They trace the heavenly stars.
And if, like Mary, who loved much,
By loyal service drawn
To Him, whose holy life was such,
We come before the dawn—
Like her, we never seek in vain,
And, for the darkened feet,
Will break a morning without pain,
When we the Saviour meet;
And angel hands shall lead us on,
While angel voices bless,
And show yet shining as He shone,
The Sun of Righteousness.
By loyal service drawn
To Him, whose holy life was such,
We come before the dawn—
Like her, we never seek in vain,
And, for the darkened feet,
Will break a morning without pain,
When we the Saviour meet;
And angel hands shall lead us on,
While angel voices bless,
And show yet shining as He shone,
The Sun of Righteousness.
Before Him mortal splendour pales,
And yields a feeble spark;
And ever do God's nightingales,
Sing sweetest in the dark.
As Paul and Silas in their cell,
With faith of earthquake might,
Sang, till the shattered fetters fell,
Songs in the deepest night.
And prisoned souls in rayless gloom,
Where all seemed piercing scorn,
Have found a bright immortal bloom,
Burst from each bloody thorn.
And yields a feeble spark;
And ever do God's nightingales,
Sing sweetest in the dark.
As Paul and Silas in their cell,
With faith of earthquake might,
Sang, till the shattered fetters fell,
Songs in the deepest night.
And prisoned souls in rayless gloom,
Where all seemed piercing scorn,
Have found a bright immortal bloom,
Burst from each bloody thorn.
There is a Light, that never lay
On any mortal sight,—
A Light that clearer is than day,
And softer than the night;
It is the Presence of the Lord,
Who bids the blindest be
Partakers, in one calm accord,
Of joys eye cannot see;
If we but look above to Him,
Out of our human pride,
To know the dusk however dim,
The shadow at His side.
On any mortal sight,—
A Light that clearer is than day,
And softer than the night;
It is the Presence of the Lord,
Who bids the blindest be
Partakers, in one calm accord,
Of joys eye cannot see;
If we but look above to Him,
Out of our human pride,
To know the dusk however dim,
The shadow at His side.
God made the darkness and the day,
To both a blessing gives,
But He who hides His wondrous way,
In darkness chiefly lives;
And hearts, that in the thickest cloud
Yet humbly work and sing,
Feel only in the funeral shroud,
The shadow of His wing;
They learn, through all the murky strife,
That is with promise strawn,—
Hope is the lowliest before Life,
The darkest before Dawn.
To both a blessing gives,
But He who hides His wondrous way,
In darkness chiefly lives;
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Yet humbly work and sing,
Feel only in the funeral shroud,
The shadow of His wing;
They learn, through all the murky strife,
That is with promise strawn,—
Hope is the lowliest before Life,
The darkest before Dawn.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |